Into the Fire repost
by arizony
Summary: I've reposted this, my first song-fic. The first posting was when the website was rather wacky and didn't notify everyone it was posted. It is an overview of the final battle, from Aang's POV.


I don't own "Avatar: The Last Airbender", nor do I own the rights to "Into the Fire" I only wish I were that talented.

Avatar belongs to Nickelodeon and Mike and Bryan.

"Into the Fire" Lyrics and Music written by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton

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_David walked into the valley, With a stone clutched in his hand. He was only a boy, But he knew someone must take a stand._

Aang stood, waiting for Ozai's imminent appearance. The giant Lion-Turtle had said Ozai would soon be here, so here was where Aang would wait. As he waited, he considered all he had gone through to get here. His friends and family, his very culture and people were all wiped out 100 years ago. Fate had called him to wait until the time was right to face _his_ destiny. That is, to become the Avatar he was born to be.

_There will always be a valley, Always mountains one must scale. There will always be perilous waters, Which someone must sail._

He had tried to escape that destiny, only to be drawn into the sea during a severe storm, along with his beloved Sky Bison, Appa. The Avatar spirit had saved them both, preserving them until the time was right to fulfill his destiny. That time came 100 years later, when he was released from his sleep by the most beautiful face he had ever seen, the one that belonged to Katara. She had not only released him, she had chosen to follow him, to accompany him on his journey. Along with her was her brother, Sokka.

_Into valleys, into waters, Into jungles, into hell, Let us ride, let us ride home again, With a story to tell._

They had traveled around the world, fighting off an evil admiral and escaping from Prince Zuko and his sister, Princess Azula, and her team. Along the way, Katara had become Aang's waterbending master. They had picked up a feisty little earthbender named Toph, and, eventually, a brooding prince named Zuko to teach Aang firebending.

_Into darkness, into danger, Into storms that rip the night, Don't give in, don't give up, But give thanks for the glorious fight._

Through it all, though, one thing was always present. The comet, Sozin's Comet, would bring with its coming Firelord Ozai's attempt to finish what his grandfather Sozin had started. The one thing everyone seemed to agree on was that Aang must kill Ozai to stop the war and return balance back to the world. This was the one thing Aang most seriously disagreed with everyone about, even Katara. He was raised by the air monks and eschewed violence when there was another way, and he always believed another way existed.

_You can tremble, you can fear it, But keep your fighting spirit alive, boys. Let the shiver of it sting you, Fling into battle, spring to your feet, boys._

He had been meditating about this very problem when the Lion-Turtle came to him and called him, giving him the way to defeat Ozai without killing him. Energy bending.

_Never hold back your step for a moment, Never doubt that your courage will grow, Hold your head even higher, And into the fire we'll go._

As Aang was considering these things, he both felt and saw the airship armada coming towards him. As the Firelord started to take advantage of the power of the comet, Aang also took advantage of both Ozai's preoccupation with causing death and destruction and the comet's power.

Starting with earthbending, the young Avatar took out the propellers of Ozai's airship, then used firebending to destroy the engine, his determination evident on his face.

Feeling the slowdown of his ship, Ozai saw that Aang was still alive. Thinking he was being handed the seemingly weak airbender by providential destiny, the firebender immediately jetted towards him and the battle was on!

_Are there mountains that surround us, Are there walls that block our way. Knock 'em down, strip 'em back, boys, And follow on into the fray._

Though the difference in size was obvious, Aang was determined to see this through. It showed in his determination as he faced the Firelord. Ozai used fire and lightning to attack the young monk. Meanwhile, Aang used the redirection Zuko had taught him to send the firebender's lightning away from him. At first, the young Avatar had been tempted to just end the fight, aiming his fingers at Ozai. The look on his face, though, brought Aang back to himself, and he sent the lightning off into the sky.

Aang then continued to use all four styles of bending to defend and attack against Ozai. It seemed the young airbender was holding his own, as the firebender had to react to him. They seemed to be somewhat evenly matched.

_Into terror, into battle, Charge ahead, no never turn, Yes, it's into the fire we go, And the devil will burn._

The battle raged on, both airbender and firebender fighting for all they were worth. It seemed the older man's experience and willingness to kill were overcoming the boy's knowledge of the four styles of bending. So, in an attempt to gain time to think of a strategy, Aang gathered up rock and earth and created an earthen cocoon, where he sat as Ozai attacked him with all the strength of the comet.

_Someone has to face the valley, Rush in we have to rally and win, boys. When the world is saying not to, By God you know you've got to march on, boys._

Aang realized that if he didn't do something, the world would fall to Ozai and Azula. Something was different, though. In the past he would have been thinking of Katara, how much he loved her, how much he didn't want to let her down. This time, though, he wasn't thinking of Katara. His only thought was how he could defeat Ozai as the firebender continued to attack him. His heart was suddenly in his throat when his cocoon gave way, the Firelord blasting it with all the power the comet gave him. Aang felt himself being thrust back, when he suddenly felt something different. A piece of rock pierced the center of the scar left behind by Azula's attack. The pain was horrendous. Even as he felt the pain, however, something else began to happen.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, he felt the Avatar state return. He seemed to see all the previous Avatars reappear, looking towards him as he once again entered the glowing figure he had seen while with Guru Pathik. He felt all the power of the Avatar state fill him, but this time, with a difference. HE was in control, not the Avatar state. As the Avatar state infused him, a part of him wondered what was different. It was then he finally understood what the Guru had meant. He didn't have to give up Katara. He just had to place his duty ahead of himself and his life. Now filled with the power of the Avatar, Aang grabbed the gloating Firelord by his goatee, yanking his face down and blocking the firebending move he attempted as though swatting a mere spiderfly.

_Never hold back your step for a moment, Never doubt that your courage will grow, Hold your head even higher, and into the fire we'll go._

Suddenly, the battle was no longer going Ozai's way. Aang's desire for justice, for balance, took precedence, and he began chasing the now fearful Firelord, who was fleeing, the fear he felt as plain as the look on his face. Again, and again, and again the Avatar attacked the firebender, finally catching him with a water whip and flinging him onto a spire of rock. There he captured the Firelord, the Avatar spirit proclaiming his doom. The look on Ozai's face said it all. He understood what the proclamation meant. The Firelord was now being treated as HE would have treated the young monk or anyone else he had vanquished. Aang watched Ozai cringe before him as the attack, using all four bendings, began descending upon the vanquished monarch.

_Let the lightning strike, Let the flash of it shock you. Choke your fears away, Pull as tight as a wire, Let the fever strike, Let the force of it rock you, We will have our day Sailing into the fire._

At the last minute, though, Aang recanted the sentence of death and released his prisoner. Thinking he now had an advantage, Ozai prepared to attack the boy, only to find himself clenched in rock shackles where Aang applied the Lion-Turtle's advice and training. As he gave himself over to attempt energy bending, he felt his spirit struggling with the Firelord's for dominance. The struggle stretched out for a time period impossible to measure, and Aang felt Ozai's spirit pressing back, even beginning to overpower him. As the last of his own spirit flickered and began to disappear, a bright light suddenly came into the boy's mind, coming from the Love Chakra. The visions he had seen while with Guru Pathik returned. He once again saw Katara, remembering his love for her.

As Ozai's spirit tried to finish the final overpowering of Aang, it suddenly faltered. The Love Chakra, something the Firelord couldn't understand, became the point at which the young airbender's spirit rallied. The Firelord's spirit first halted, then fled from the unknown, and the young Avatar was victorious. As the last of the firebender's spiritual force disappeared, Aang took his bending away. He had won without killing the Firelord. What the Lion-Turtle had meant was now clear to him. He had remained true to himself. HE was the true spirit. He had unlocked all of his Chakras, and had been found not only worthy, but victorious.

_Someone has to face the valley, Rush in we have to rally and win, boys. When the world is saying not to, By God you know you've got to march on, boys._

With the crowds cheering later that week as Zuko was crowned Fire Lord, Aang, now a fully realized Avatar, stood with his head held high. He had refused to follow the chant of death, he had remained true to his beliefs as an Air Nomad. Peace and balance had been restored. Maybe, as he saw the look in a set of blue eyes, his own peace and balance would be restored now as well.

_Never hold back your step for a moment, Look alive, and your courage will grow. Hold your head even higher, And into the fire we go. Into fire….._

**_oOoOoOo_**

**_David walked into the valley, With a stone clutched in his hand. He was only a boy, But he knew someone must take a stand._**

**_There will always be a valley, Always mountains one must scale. There will always be perilous waters, Which someone must sail._**

**_Into valleys, into waters, Into jungles, into hell, Let us ride, let us ride home again, With a story to tell._**

**_Into darkness, into danger, Into storms that rip the night, Don't give in, don't give up, But give thanks for the glorious fight._**

**_You can tremble, you can fear it, But keep your fighting spirit alive, boys. Let the shiver of it sting you, Fling into battle, spring to your feet, boys._**

**_Never hold back your step for a moment, Never doubt that your courage will grow, Hold your head even higher, And into the fire we'll go._**

**_Are there mountains that surround us, Are there walls that block our way. Knock 'em down, strip 'em back, boys, And follow on into the fray._**

**_Into terror, into battle, Charge ahead, no never turn, Yes, it's into the fire we go, And the devil will burn._**

**_Someone has to face the valley, Rush in we have to rally and win, boys. When the world is saying not to, By God you know you've got to march on, boys._**

**_Never hold back your step for a moment, Never doubt that your courage will grow, Hold your head even higher, and into the fire we'll go._**

**_Let the lightning strike, Let the flash of it shock you. Choke your fears away, Pull as tight as a wire, Let the fever strike, Let the force of it rock you, We will have our day Sailing into the fire._**

**_Someone has to face the valley, Rush in we have to rally and win, boys. When the world is saying not to, By God you know you've got to march on, boys._**

**_Never hold back your step for a moment, Look alive, and your courage will grow. Hold your head even higher, And into the fire we go. Into fire….._**

_

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A/N: I first heard this song on the United StatesMilitary Academy (West Point) CD "Stand Ye Steady". It is an excellent song and seemed to fit the last battle so well. I began writing it July 9, 2009, but it is a slow process to ensure both the story of Avatar and the song "Into the Fire" are faithfully represented.

Once again, many, many thanks to my Beta, Liselle129. Ma'am, you are the best!

If you would like to listen to the song you can find it here-just take out the spaces (it's song #3 on the list.):

w w w . rhapsody . com / usma - cadet-glee-club / stand-ye-steady-songs-of-courage-and-inspiration

-arizony-


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